Maritime Conflict Potential Increases: Conditions For Military Activities In EEZs To Law Of The Sea During War Need To Be Discussed

JAKARTA - Regulation of military activities in the area of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) to marine law during wartime is something that needs to be discussed, amid increasing the potential for maritime conflict, said Indonesian Deputy Foreign Minister Arif Havas Oegroseno on Tuesday.

Speaking at the dialogue forum "Studying Strategic Steps to Continue Prof. Hasjim Djalal Related to Marine Law" held by the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jakarta, Deputy Foreign Minister Havas said military activities in the EEZ area were homework for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after Hasjim died.

Deputy Foreign Minister Havas recalled that there was a meeting that discussed military activities in the EEZ area which was attended by experts from various countries and was academic. Unfortunately, it does not continue.

"Finally, if I'm not mistaken in 2015 or 2016. Now, with geopolitical conditions like this, maritime security threats are very real, we need to discuss that now. At that time there was a series at the expert level, changing it. At that time, if I'm not mistaken, Japan was the organizer of the event," explained Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Havas, Tuesday, February 25.

Furthermore, Deputy Foreign Minister Havas said another important thing to discuss was UNCLOS in time of war, a maritime law in a state of war. It was revealed by the late Hasjim to Havas in an informal discussion in 2017.

"Many countries, many experts I asked, last time I taught at the Rhodes Academy of International Law in Greece last year I spoke with several marine law experts, they said we have understood and understood it and the application of marine law conventions during peace time," explained the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia.

"But during that war time, a new study. So this is one thing we need to do exciting in Indonesia and also in Asia," added this senior diplomat.

Highlighting the dynamics in the South China Sea, the Middle East, Baltic to the North Sea and the deployment of warships in the Indian Ocean, Deputy Foreign Minister Havas said the potential conditions led to conflict in the sea today higher than 10-20 years ago.

"We have to see again what the rules are like at sea, mix, mix, mix, between law of war and law of the sea, and this is not easy," said Deputy Foreign Minister Havas.

"Indonesia will conduct an internal study, then we will invite marine law experts who we know around the world, can be online, don't have to come. There is no time line, UNCLOS studies are not easy, the starting discussions are internal, later we will discuss nextime with experts, experts from universities. This is one thing that we have never discussed in depth," he said.